Newborn begins 2013 for young Goliad couple

Jesse Matamoros, left, watches his wife Ashley Matamoros and his newborn son, Jesse Matamoros III, at DeTar Hospital North in Victoria. Jesse Matamoros III was born at 4:44 a.m. New Year's Day, the first baby born in Victoria in 2013.
Kathleen Duncan
for The Victoria Advocate

After nearly eight hours of labor, Jesse Tereso Matamoros III was born at 4:44 a.m. - the first baby born in Victoria in 2013.

"After I had him, they said no one else had a baby yet," his mom, Ashley Matamoros, said, holding his little gloved hand. "I'm excited. ... He will have big birthday parties, we know that."

Jesse, weighing 7 pounds, 14 ounces at birth, was content to spend his first day on earth - and the first day of the new year - sleeping in his mother's arms.

"Just holding him - he is worth all of the pain," said Matamoros, of Goliad.

His dad, Jesse Matamoros II, said he was scared when the baby was born because he was so red.

"For me, it was like I was torn in between because he was over there and I wanted to see him, but she was over here still in pain," he said, recalling the delivery room drama. He stayed by his wife's side during delivery.

Their 14-month-old daughter, Jes'Ley, was not sure how to react to the new baby, her dad said.

The DeTar Hospital North staff noted that Jesse's arrival was good timing.

Shellie Green, RN in labor and delivery, said the New Year's baby symbolizes "new life and new beginnings."

The rest of the Matamoros family and friends, who packed the hospital room, were ecstatic to start their new year with baby Jesse.

His grandmother, Kandi Matamoros, kept Jes'Ley overnight, but said she couldn't sleep at all waiting for news of the baby.

"I just kept waiting and waiting ... I said everyone is out popping fireworks and we are waiting for Ashley to pop," Kandi Matamoros joked.

She said there is something special about starting the new year with a new baby.

"He looks just like his dad, I got tears in my eyes. It was just like seeing my son when he was a baby. They grow up too fast."